- 25Now I’ll explain Isaiah’s words that I’ve included in my record. He said many things that are hard for many of my people to understand, since they don’t understand the method of Jewish prophesying. 2And I haven’t bothered to teach them much about Jewish ways since they fell into dark paths and their practices became an abomination. 3I’ll explain the prophecy to my people who will receive my record in the future, so they can come to understand that God’s judgments involve all nations according to the words that He’s spoken. 4Therefore pay careful attention, my people who are from the house of Israel, think about my words, because Isaiah’s words are difficult for you — nevertheless, they deliver a message to those who are inspired with the spirit of prophecy. Let me give you a prophecy according to the Spirit that’s in me — I’ll prophesy using the clarity that’s been with me since my father and I left Jerusalem. For I take great joy in being straightforward and clear to my people, so they can learn. 5I tell you I take great joy in Isaiah’s words,
- since I came from Jerusalem and understand Jewish ways from my direct experience. I know the Jews understand the approach of the prophets. No other nation understands what was said to the Jews like they do, unless they get taught in the Jewish system. 6But I haven’t provided my children an education in Jewish customs; however, I lived at Jerusalem, so I know about the place. I’ve explained to my children about God’s judgments that have happened to the Jews that have fulfilled everything that Isaiah prophesied; yet I haven’t written that down.
- 7But I continue with my prophecy, being direct and clear, and I know that no one can go wrong by it. Nevertheless, when Isaiah’s prophecies are fulfilled, people will understand them, once they’ve actually happened. 8Therefore they’re valuable for mankind. And I’ll mainly speak to those who don’t value them, and limit the discussion to my own people, because I know they’ll be very valuable to them in the last days, since they’ll understand them at that time. Therefore I’ve written it down to benefit them.
- 9And as one generation of the Jews has been destroyed because of iniquity, so too have they been destroyed from generation to generation because of their iniquities. But no generation has ever been destroyed without warning them beforehand by the Lord’s prophets. 10Therefore they were told about the destruction that would happen to them right after my father left Jerusalem. Despite that, they hardened their hearts; and according to my prophecy, they’ve been destroyed, except for those who’ve been taken as prisoners into Babylon. 11I say this because of the Spirit that’s in me. And although they’ve been taken away, they’ll return and live in the land of Jerusalem. Therefore they’ll be restored to the lands of their inheritance. 12But they’ll have wars and reports of wars.
- And when the time comes that the Only Begotten of the Father — the Father of heaven and of earth — lives with them in the flesh, they’ll reject Him because of their iniquities, hard hearts, and their stubbornness. 13It’s certain that they will crucify Him. After He’s been buried in a sepulcher for three days, He’ll rise from the dead with healing in His wings, and those who believe in His name will be saved in God’s kingdom. Therefore my soul takes great joy in prophesying about Him, since I’ve seen His day, and my heart praises His holy name. 14After Christ has risen from the dead and shown Himself to His people (meaning to all those who are willing to believe in His name), Jerusalem will again be destroyed because cursing befalls those who fight against God and His people who obey Him. 15As a result, the Jews will be scattered among all nations and Babylon will be destroyed. Then other nations will likewise scatter the Jews.
- 16After they’ve been scattered and the Lord God has afflicted them through other nations for many generations — from one generation to another until they’re persuaded to believe in Christ the Son of God, and the infinite atonement provided for all mankind — when the time comes that they believe in Christ and worship the Father in His name with pure hearts and clean hands and don’t expect there to be any other Messiah — then it will clearly benefit them to believe these things — 17the Lord will reach out His hand a second time to restore His people from their lost and fallen state. He’ll proceed to do an awe-inspiring and amazing work among mankind. 18He’ll bring to light and publish His words for them, words that will be used to judge them on the last day. The words will be provided to them in order to convince them of the true Messiah, who was rejected by them. Also, to convince them they don’t need to expect a different Messiah to come because any other is a false Messiah to deceive the people. Indeed, there’s only one Messiah the prophets have spoken about, and that Messiah is the one who will be rejected by the Jews. 19According to the words of the prophets, the Messiah comes 600 years after my father left Jerusalem. And according to the words of the prophets and the words of the angel of God, His name will be Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
- 20My people, I’ve spoken clearly so you can’t make a mistake. As the Lord God lives who brought the Israelites out of Egypt and gave Moses power to heal the tribes of Israel after they were bitten by poisonous snakes, if they were willing to look at the snake he lifted up in front of them. The Lord who gave Moses power to strike the rock and have water come out — I tell you that as these things are true and as the Lord God lives, there isn’t any other name given under heaven that mankind can be saved by, except for Jesus Christ, whom I’ve spoken about. 21This is why the Lord God has promised me the things I’m writing will be kept safe and handed down to my descendants from generation to generation. This will fulfill the promise to Joseph that his descendants would never die out as long as the earth lasted. 22Therefore these records will endure from generation to generation for as long as the earth exists, and they’ll be available according to God’s will and design. And the nations that have them will be judged based upon them according to the scriptures.
- 23So we work diligently to write, to persuade our children and our people to believe in Christ and be reconciled to God, because we know that it’s by grace we are saved, despite all that we can do. 24Although we believe in Christ, we keep the Law of Moses and look forward with firm resolve to follow Christ, until the Law is fulfilled, 25because the Law was given for this purpose. Therefore the Law has become dead to us, and we’re made alive through Christ because of our faith; still, we keep the Law because of the commandments. 26And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies so that our children can know to what source they can look for a remission of their sins. 27Therefore we speak about the Law, so our children understand the Law is dead. And by knowing the deadness of the Law, they can look forward to the life that is in Christ and know for what purpose the Law was given, and after the Law is fulfilled in Christ, they don’t need to harden their hearts against Him when the Law must be abandoned.
- 28Now, my people, you are stubborn. Therefore I’ve spoken to you plainly so you can’t misunderstand. And the words I’ve spoken will stand as a testimony against you, because they’re enough to teach anyone the true way. And the true way is to believe in Christ and not deny Him, because by denying Him you also deny the prophets and the Law. 29Now I tell you that the true way is to believe in Christ and not deny Him. And Christ is the Holy One of Israel. Therefore you must bow down before Him and worship Him with all your power, mind, and strength, and your whole soul. If you do this, you’ll in no way be thrown out. 30And to the degree it’s suitable and proper, you must keep God’s performances and ordinances until the Law that was given to Moses is fulfilled.
- 26After Christ has risen from the dead, He’ll visit with you, my children and my dear people, and the words that He’ll speak to you will be the law you must follow. 2I tell you that I’ve seen many generations will come and go and there will be great wars and conflicts among my people. 3And after Christ comes, there will be signs given to my people of His birth, His death, and His resurrection. That time will be great and terrible for the wicked since they will die: they will be killed because they drive out the prophets and holy ones and stone them and kill them. The cry that comes up from the ground from the blood of the holy ones will ascend to God against them. 4Therefore all those who are proud and do evil — the Lord of Hosts says that the day that is coming will burn them up; they’ll be like straw. 5And those who kill the prophets and holy ones — the Lord of Hosts says that the depths of the earth will swallow them, mountains will cover them, tornadoes will carry them away, and buildings will fall upon them and crush them into pieces and grind them into powder. 6They’ll be visited with thunder, lightning, earthquakes, and all kinds of destruction, because the fire of the Lord’s anger will be kindled against them and they’ll be like straw. The time that is coming will burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts.
- 7How great the pain and anguish of my soul for the loss of my slain people! I’ve seen it, and it very nearly overwhelms me before the Lord’s presence. But I have to admit to God: Your ways are righteous! 8But the righteous who hearken to the words of the prophets and don’t destroy them but anticipate Christ and wait for the signs to be given, despite every persecution, are the ones who won’t be killed. 9On the contrary, the Son of Righteousness will appear to them and He’ll heal them. They’ll have peace with Him for three generations, and many of the fourth generation will have lived and died in righteousness. 10Once these things have come to an end, a rapid destruction will come upon my people. And despite the pains of my soul, I’ve seen it, so I know that it will happen. They will sell themselves for nothing, and in return for their pride and foolishness they will receive destruction. Because they yield to the accuser and choose works of darkness rather than light, they will certainly go down to hell. 11The Spirit of the Lord won’t always help mankind fight temptation. And when the Spirit stops helping mankind fight temptation, a rapid destruction will come, and this distresses my soul.
- 12Just as I spoke about convincing the Jews that Jesus really is the Messiah, it’s also necessary for the Gentiles to be convinced that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, 13and that He’ll reveal Himself by the power of the Holy Ghost to those who believe in Him — to people of every nation, tribe, and language — performing powerful miracles, signs, and amazing things among mankind according to their faith.
- 14But I prophesy to you about the last days, concerning the time when the Lord God brings these records to light for mankind. 15After my descendants and my brothers’ descendants have fallen away in unbelief and been defeated by the Gentiles — after the Lord God has surrounded them on every side, besieged them with fortifications, and raised towers against them, and after they’ve been humbled to the dust, to the point that they’re considered as nothing — in spite of that, the words of the righteous will be written and the prayers of the faithful will be heard and those who have fallen away in unbelief won’t be forgotten. 16Those who have been slain will leave for them a message to be read after their bodies have turned to dust in the grave, and their message will bring a familiar testimony because the Lord God will have inspired the writings, so that the message will come with conviction, as if they were speaking from the dust.
- 17This is what the Lord God has said: They will write the things that take place among them; they’ll be written and sealed away in a book. And those who have fallen away in unbelief won’t have them, since they try to destroy the things of God. 18Therefore, just as those who have been destroyed have been destroyed quickly, the ruthless enemies will also be tossed away like dust in the wind. Indeed, the Lord God says: It will happen suddenly, in an instant.
- 19Then those who have fallen away in unbelief will be struck down by the Gentiles. 20But the Gentiles will proudly view themselves as superior and will have stumbled because they have a great stumbling block: They build up to themselves many churches, but they have no faith in God’s power and miracles. They praise themselves — their own wisdom and knowledge — in their preaching, so they can make money and oppress the poor. 21Many churches will be established, causing envy, antagonism, and malice. 22And there will also be secret conspiracies, as in former times, using the accuser’s plan for conspiracies, because he’s involved in the foundation of all these things — the foundation of murder and works of darkness — and he leads them by the neck with a strong rope at the start made of flax, until he enslaves them with his strong ropes forever.
- 23My dear people, I tell you the Lord God doesn’t act in darkness or do evil. 24He doesn’t do anything unless it’s for the world’s benefit, since He loves the world, even laying down His own life so He can draw all mankind to Him. As a result, He doesn’t command anyone to reject His salvation. 25Does He cry out to anyone: Go away! I tell you: No. On the contrary, He says: Come to Me, everyone on earth; buy milk and honey for free. 26Has He commanded anyone to get out of synagogues or houses of worship? I tell you: No. 27Has He commanded anyone not to share in His salvation? I tell you: No. On the contrary, He’s given it freely to all mankind. And He’s commanded His people to lead everyone to repentance. 28Has the Lord commanded anyone not to share in His goodness? I tell you: No. On the contrary, all people are equally invited, one like the other, and no one is forbidden.
- 29He commands there to be no priestcrafts. Priestcrafts are when preachers set themselves up as a light to the world, so they can make money and receive praise from the world, but they have no desire for Zion to advance. 30The Lord has forbidden priestcrafts. So the Lord God has commanded everyone to have charity — that is, love — and unless they have charity, they’re nothing. As a result, if they had charity, they wouldn’t allow those who labor in Zion to waste away. 31But laborers in Zion must work for the good of Zion since they’ll perish if they work only for money. 32Again, the Lord God has commanded people not to murder, not to lie, not to steal, not to misuse His name, not to envy, not to hate, not to fight with each other, not to commit whoredoms — not to do any of these things. Because whoever does them will perish, 33since none of these iniquities come from the Lord. Indeed, He does what’s good among mankind. And He doesn’t do anything without it being clear to mankind. He invites everyone to come to Him and share in His goodness and doesn’t deny anyone who comes to Him, black or white, enslaved or free, male or female; and He remembers those who don’t worship Him or know anything about Him. All are the same to God — Jews and Gentiles.
- 27But in the last days or in the time of the Gentiles, every nation of Gentiles and Jews — both those who come upon this land and those who live on other lands, indeed, on every land throughout the earth — will be drunk with iniquity and all kinds of abominations. 2And when that day arrives, the Lord of Hosts will send thunder, and earthquakes, and loud noises, and storms, and tempests, and uncontrolled fires. 3And all the nations that fight against Zion and interfere with her will be like a mere dream of the nighttime. It will be to them like a hungry man who dreams that he ate his fill, but when he wakes up he remains hungry. Or like a thirsty man who dreams he gets a drink, but when he wakes up he’s still thirsty and starving and he craves relief. Yes, this is how it will be for all the people who fight against Mount Zion. 4Those of you who commit iniquity, stop and marvel; you’ll cry out and wail. You’ll be drunk, but not with wine; you’ll stagger, but not with hard liquor. 5The Lord has poured out a spirit of deep sleep upon you. You’ve closed your eyes and rejected the prophets, and He’s taken away your teachers and seers because of your iniquity.
- 6Then the Lord God will bring forward for you the words of a book, and the words will be from those who have died. 7The book will be sealed, and a revelation from God from the beginning to the end of the world will be in the book. 8And because of what’s sealed up, the sealed things won’t be made known while people remain wicked and practice abominations. So the book will be kept from them. 9But the book will be given to a man, and he’ll write down the words of the book, the words of those who have died, and he’ll dictate these words to another. 10But he must not dictate the sealed words or give the book to anyone else since the book will be sealed by God’s power. And the sealed revelation — which discloses all things, from the foundation of the world to its end — are to be left in the book until the Lord determines it’s the proper time for them to be revealed. 11Eventually the words of the book that were sealed will be read upon the housetops, and they’ll be read by the power of Christ. Everything will be revealed to mankind, everything that’s ever happened among mankind and everything that will happen, all the way to the end of the earth. 12When the book is given to the man I’ve just mentioned, the book will be hidden from the eyes of the world, so that no one will see it — besides the one to whom the book will be entrusted — except for three witnesses who will see it by God’s power. They’ll testify to the truth of the book and the things in it. 13No one else will view it, except for a few according to God’s will, to testify of His word to mankind. The Lord God has said the words of the faithful would speak as if from the dead. 14Therefore the Lord God will proceed to bring the words of the book to public view. And He’ll confirm His word with as many witnesses as seems right to Him. And woe to those who reject God’s word!
- 15However, the Lord God will tell the one to whom He’ll entrust the book: Take these words that are unsealed and give them to another, so he can show them to the well educated, saying: Please read this. And the well educated will say: Bring the book here and I’ll read the words. 16Now he’ll say this because he wants attention from the world and to make money, not for God’s glory. 17And the man will reply: I can’t bring the book because it’s sealed. 18Then the well educated will say: I can’t read it. 19Therefore the Lord God will give back the book and its words to the one who isn’t well educated. Then the man who isn’t well educated will say: I’m not well educated. 20And the Lord God will tell him: The well educated won’t read the words — they’ve rejected them. But I’m able to do My own work; so you must read the words that I’ll give you. 21Don’t do anything with the sealed things; I’ll reveal them at the right time. I’ll show mankind that I’m able to do My own work. 22When you’ve read the words I’ve assigned you, and obtained the witnesses I’ve promised you, then you must seal up the book again and hide it away to Me, so I can keep the words you haven’t read safe until I see fit in My own wisdom to reveal all things to mankind. 23For I Am God, and I Am a God of miracles. I’ll show the world I Am the same yesterday, today, and forever; that I don’t do anything among mankind unless it’s according to their faith.
- 24And the Lord will also tell the one who will read the words assigned to him: 25Because these people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their respect for Me is taught by the doctrines of men, 26therefore I’ll proceed to do a marvelous work among these people, yes, a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise and learned will pass away, and the understanding of their prudent will become confused. 27And woe to them who work carefully to hide what they’re up to from the Lord, and they scheme in the dark, and they say: Who can see what we’re doing? And who can identify us? They’re perverse, regarding the potter as if he were the clay. But I’ll show unto them, says the Lord of Hosts, that I know all their works. For should what’s made say of his maker: You didn’t make me? Or should what’s formed say of him who formed him: He doesn’t understand? 28But listen, says the Lord of Hosts, I’ll show you that in a very short time Lebanon will be turned into farmland, and the farmland will be regarded as merely a thicket. 29And in that day the deaf will hear even written words, and the eyes of the blind will see even in the darkness. 30Then the humble will have increasing happiness because of the Lord, and the poor will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. 31For as certain as the Lord lives, they’ll see that the tyrant is brought to nothing, and the scoffer is removed; and all that are eager to do iniquity are wiped out, 32along with those that testify falsely in court to make the innocent guilty in order to pervert justice. 33Therefore the Lord who redeemed Abraham declares, concerning the house of Jacob: Jacob will no longer be ashamed, neither will his face grow pale. 34But when he sees his children, the work of My hands, they’ll keep My name holy, and acknowledge the Holy One of Jacob, and will be in awe of the God of Israel. 35Those who strayed from the truth will return and be willing to accept instruction without complaining.
Chapter 11